Underwater heat generator

ABSTRACT

The fuel used is concentrated hydrogen peroxide which has high energy content and has a simple decomposition into water and oxygen. It is stored in an expulsion tank and responsive to control temperature is fed through a warmup heat exchanger to a catalyst reactor where it breaks down into steam and hot oxygen. This passes through a main heat exchanger where it heats a heat transfer medium being recirculated by a pump through the apparatus being served and then again passes through the warmup heat exchanger to preheat the incoming hydrogen peroxide fuel. In a more complex form, the hot water or steam and hot oxygen drive a turbine motivating the pump; the water is removed from the oxygen to permit the latter to be used for breathing purposes; and a substantially constant buoyance is maintained by an oxygen filled bellows in the expulsion tank.

United States Patent Van Ness Harwood, Jr.

[72] Inventor Amherst, N.Y. [21] Appl. No. 780,431 [22] Filed Dec. 2,1968 [45] Patented Jan. 19, 1971 [73] Assignee The Arc CorporationBryan, Ohio a corporation of Delaware [54] UNDERWATER HEAT GENERATOR 12Claims, 5 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl 165/46, 23/282, 126/204 [51] Int. ClF28b 13/00 [50] Field of Search 165/46; 126/204; 128/142.5, 399, 400;2/2, 2.1; 23/282; 128/203 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,182,653 5/1965 Mavleus et al 126/204 3,367,319 2/1968 Carter Jr.2/2.1X 3,385,286 5/1968 Jones 126/204 Primary ExaminerRobert A. OLearyAssistant Examiner-Theophil W. Streule Attorney-Sommer and WeberABSTRACT: The fuel used is concentrated hydrogen peroxide which has highenergy content and has a simple decomposition into water and oxygen. Itis stored in an expulsion tank and responsive to control temperature isfed through a warmup heat exchanger to a catalyst reactor where itbreaks down into steam and hot oxygen. This passes through a main heatexchanger where it heats a heat transfer medium being recirculated by apump through the apparatus being served and then again passes throughthe warmup heat exchanger to preheat the incoming hydrogen peroxidefuel. In a more complex form, the hot water or steam and! hot oxygendrive a turbine motivating the pump; the water is removed from theoxygen to permit the latter to be used for breathing purposes; and asubstantially constant buoyance is maintained by an oxygen filledbellows in the expulsion tank.

PATENTED JAN 1 9 l9?| sum 1 or 2 Kr B d E T WN W w v w T N IO A H S S eN W F VM 6 CATALYST REACTOR PATENTEUJAMQIBII Y 3556.205

' suznzurz T0 BREATHING EQUIPMENT INVENTOR.

Von Ness Horwood, Jr. BY

ATTORNE YS wa ww UNDERWATER HEAT GENERATOR The generator is illustratedas serving a diver's suit and in exchange relationlwith the body oftheldiver. FIG. 2 is an enlarged section through thesetubes-and theundergarment to which they are attached and through the outer wet suitof the diver. FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates the components of theheat generator of FIG. 1 and which heats the recirculating watersupplied to the diver's suit. FIG. .4 is a view similar to FIG. '1showinga modified form of heat generator for heating oxygen forbreathing. FIG. 5 is a viewl similar to FIG. 3 showing the components ofthe modified. form .of'heat generator shown in FlG d. J

. olven'ssuirxuoirs HEAT EXCHANGE svsrerv respectively, these outergarments being loosely and removably joined togetherso that water 23 canenter the suit and come in contact with the body of the diver.

A systemj of flexible heat exchange tuhes is built into the undergarmentfor heating the body of the diver. Water as a heat transfer medium isrecirculated from a heating pack via a line 30 through a disconnect 31to a line '32 leading to a ,main supply manifold34 suitably attached tothe middle portion of the diver's undergarment 10. From this manifold aseriesof flexible heat exehange tubes 35 extend in spaced relation toone another along the leg and foot portions l4, of the diver'sundergarment to a manifold 36 attached to these foot portions; As bestshown in FIG. 2, these tubes are preferably stitched to the exterior ofthe cloth forming the undergarment 10 on the exterior sideflthereof soasto be immersed in'the water 23 between the body of the diver andtheouter garment 16 so that the heat of the liquid passing through thesetubes is transmitted through this water to the body of the diver. Areturn line 38 receives the warm liquid from each boot manifold 36 andconducts it to a pair of manifolds 39 attached to the hood portion 11 ofthe undergarment 10. Flexible heat exchange tubes 40 stitched inspacedrelation to the exterior of the hoodiportion ll of the diver'sundergarment 10 conduct this warm heat transfer liquid in heat exchangerelation to the diver's head to an outlet manifold 41. The outlet line42 from this manifold 41 is attached by a quick disconnect 43 to i thereturn line 44 to the heating pack.

i To heat the torso, arms, and hands of the diver, a plurality HEATGENERATOR FIGURES 1 AND 3 A simpler form of underwater heat generator isdesignated at 50 in which the heated water supply. line 30 is shown asconnected with the discharge of a water circulating pump 52 the inletline 53 of which extends into a thermally insulated rigid closed cellfoam shell 55 although other forms of thermal insulation could be used.This pump is shown as driven by a batthe recirculating water supplied tothe diver's suit, as well as tery-actuatedelectric motor 54, but otherforms of motivation of the pumpcould be used, asshown in the modifiedform of the invention.

The pump inlet line 53 connects with a main heat exchanger 56. In thisheat exchanger the water is heated to the required temperature andpasses to the pump inlet line 53 to be returnedby the pump 52 to thesuit via the heated water supply line 30. A thermostat valve 59 has itssensitive element 60 immersed in the water admitted through the returnline 44 to the main heat exchanger 56, so as to be responsive to acontrol temperature, and it is set by means of a manual control shaft 61extending exteriorly of the insulated shell 55 and having a manual knob62 which can be turned. by the diver to in crease or decrease the suittemperature.

This heat is derived from a, body 65 of concentrated hydrogen peroxidecontained within a chamber 66 of an expulsion tank 68 preferably made.from aluminum both because it is a preferred material for use in contactwith concentrated hydrogen peroxide and also because it is convenientlylight in weight. This tank is shown as being in; the form of twocylindrical end heads 68a and 68b which are fitted together at theirmating ends between which ends is'held the rim of a rolling diaphragm70. This rolling diaphragm is of cup-shaped cylindrical form with acup-shaped cylindrical piston 71 secured centrally to the side of therolling diaphragm remote from the chamber 66 and opening into thechamber 72 formed by the cylindrical end head 68a. This piston 71, andhence the rolling The chamber 66 is filled with the body 65 of hydrogenperoxide in any suitable manner as through an inlet line 75 andexternalfill coupling76 and the hydrogen peroxide passes from the body 65 via asupply line 77, containing a quick disconnect 78, past amanual shutoffvalve 79 t0 the manually adjustable thermostatic valve 59 and thence viaa line 80 to a hydrogen peroxide warmup coil 81 in a warmup heatexchanger. The quick disconnect 78 permits a quick resupply of thehydrogen peroxide 65 by exchanging an empty fuel tank 68 with a fullone. A relief valve 84 connects with the fill line 75 and can dump via avent line 84a into the sea water in preventing the buildup of excessive[hydrogen peroxide pressures in the hydrogen peroxide storage tank 68.Although a mechanical expulsion tank activated by the spring 73 isshown, other methods of pressurizing the hydrogen peroxide fuel 65 anddelivering it to the heat generator could, of course,

be used, such as pressure self-generated from fuel decomposition orstored hydrogen peroxide gas or gas pressure developed from a breathingsupply.

The line 85 from the warmup coil 81 contains a restricted orifice 86 andcheck valve 88 and discharges into a catalyst reactor 89 in the form ofa tube housing a dense wire mesh which forms the catalyst bed. The meshmaterial is of silver and nickel or any other material capable ofdecomposing the hydrogen peroxide into hot water or steam plus oxygen.This hot fluid passes via a line 90 to the main heat exchanger 56 whereit serves to heat the water being recirculated through the apparatusbeing served, illustrated as being the suit, the spent gas and waterserving, via line 91, to'provide heat for the warmup coil 81 and thenescaping through a waste line 92 containing a checkvalve 93.

OPERATION F IGURES 1-3 Preparatory to being connected with the apparatusto be served such as the divers suit illustrated, the heating pack 50has its compartment 66 filled with the hydrogen peroxide so as to expandthis chamber to its maximum extent in which the rolling diaphragm 70 isin its fully extended position into the chamber 72. This filling isthrough the fill line 75 and for a 6 hour heat supply 2.91 liters or4,030 kg. of 90 percent hydrogen peroxide 65 would be used. Typically aminimum pressure of 5 p.s.i. and a maximum pressure of 10 p.s.i. wouldbe maintained in the chamber 66 by the spring 73 and relief valve 84,respectively.

' The pack 50, if carried by the diver could be mounted on or attachedto the divers suit in an area accessible to him, most likely in thestomach area, and so as to leave his arms free for all activity and thedisconnect 31 joined to connect the outline 30from the heating pack 50with the inlet line 32 to the suit and the disconnect 43 is joined toconnect the outlet line 42 of the suit to the inlet line 44 of theheating pack.

The generator is started by energizing the motor 54 to drive the pump52. This draws the water, warmed as hereinafter described, from the mainheat exchanger 56 in the heating pack and discharges it through thelines 30, 32, to the inlet manifold 34 of the apparatus being served,such as the suit illustrated, where it is distributed to the variousflexible heat exchange tubes 35 stitched to the leg and boot portions14, 15 of the undergarment 10. As illustrated, in each boot portion ofthe diver's suit this water from these tubes 35 enters the manifold 36and is conducted via the corresponding line 38 to the inlet manifold 39for the flexible heat exchange tubes 40 which are stitched to the helmetportion 11 of the undergarment 10. The liquid from these heat exchangetubes 40 is discharged into the outlet header 41 and thence via the line42 into the return line 44 to the heating pack 50.

Another part of the heated liquid so forced into the inlet 3 header 34,FIG. 1, passes through the flexible heat exchange tubes 45 stitched tothe torso and arm and glove portions 12,

13 and 22 of the divers suit so as to warm the water 23 surrounding theupper part of the body and the arms and hands of the diver. This liquidenters the outlet manifold 46 of each glove and flows via the lines 48into the corresponding line 38 m join the liquid being supplied to thehood portion 11 of the divers undergarrnent as previously described. 1The shutoff valve 79 is then opened which permits hydrogen :peroxide toflow through the supply line 77, manually adjustable thermostatic valve59, line 80, wam'iup coil 81, orifice 86,

- check valve 88 and line 85 into the catalyst reactor 89. In stabilizedoperation an example of the flow of hydrogen peroxide 365 through thesupply line 77 would be 11.1 g./hr.; its temperature on entering thewarmup coil 81 would be C. and

' on leaving this warmup coil would be 25 C.

In the catalyst reactor 89 the hydrogen peroxide breaks down into a hotfluid of water or steam and oxygen, leaving the reactor at a rate of48.55 l.p.m. and at a temperature of, say, 635 C. On passing through themain heat exchanger 56 this heat is transmitted to the recirculatingheat exchange HEAT GENERATOR FIGURES 4 AND 5 This heat generator can beused for any underwater service and the apparatus being served is againillustrated as being the divers suit illustrated in FIGS. 13, the samereference numerals having been employed and the description not beingrepeated.

This more elaborate form of heat generator is designated at 100 in whichthe heated water supply line 30 is shown as connected with the dischargeof a water circulating pump 102, the inlet line 103 of which extendsinto a thermally insulated closed-cell foam shell 105 although otherforms of insulation could be used. This pump is shown as. driven by aturbine motor 104 which in turn is driven by the oxygen and steamgenerated by the hydrogen peroxide, as hereinafter described.

The pump inlet line 103 connects with a main heat exchanger 106. In thismain heat exchanger the water is heated to the required controltemperature and passes to the pump inlet line 103 to be returned by thepump 102 to the apparatus being served. i

This heat is derived from a body 108 of concentrated hydrogen peroxidecontained'within a "chamber 109 of an expulsion tank 110 preferably madefrom aluminum. This tank is shown as being in the form of twocylindrical end heads 110a and 1l0b which are fitted together at theirmating ends between which ends is held the rim of a rolling'diaphragm111. This rolling diaphragm is of cup-shaped cylindrical form with acup-shaped cylindrical piston 112 secured centrally to the side of therolling diaphragm remote from the chamber 109 and opening into thechamber 113 formed by the cylindrical end head 110a. This piston 112,and hence the rolling diaphragm 111, are biased toward the chamber 109by a helical compression spring 114 in the chamber 113 which is alsovented to the surrounding sea water as indicated at 115.

To provide buoyancy compensation for changes in depth, an oxygen filledcylindrical bellows 116 is arranged coaxially in the chamber 109 so asto be surrounded by the liquid hydrogen peroxide 108 therein and has oneend head 118 connected to the piston 112 of the rolling diaphragm 111and its opposite end head 119 connected to the expulsion shell end head110b. The interior of this bellows 116 is connected to the oxygen systemof the apparatus by a line 121 as hereinafter described. 1

The chamber 109 is filled with a body 108 of hydrogen peroxide in anysuitable manner as by an inlet line 122 and ex ternal fill coupling 123and the hydrogen peroxide passes from the body 108 via a supply line 124past a manual shutoff valve 125 to a line 126. A relief valve 127connects with the fill line 122 to prevent excessive pressure buildup inthe supply-tank 110. Flow of hydrogen peroxide through the line 126 isunder control of a thermostatic valve 128 the sensitive part 129 (FIG.4) of which can be a mercury bulb in the apparatus being served tocontrol, via a capillary control line 130, the

flow of liquid hydrogen peroxide past the thermostatic valve 128 into aline 131. A relief valve 133 in a bypass line 134 around the valves 125and 128 allows a small amount of hydrogen peroxide to pass to thecatalyst chamber 139 during descent to balance pressures in the buoyancycompensating bellows 1 16 and breather system hereinafter described.

The line 131 contains a check valve 135 and supplies hydrogen peroxideto the shell 136 for a warmup coil 137 and from which it is conducted,via line 138, to a catalyst reactor 139 which can be of the same typeas'the catalyst reactor 89 in the simpler form of the invention shown inFIGS. 1-'3. This reactor converts the hydrogen peroxide into steam andoxygen which is conducted, via line 140, to the turbine 104 to drive itand the pump 102 which recirculates the heated water through theapparatus being served, such as the divers suit 10.

This heat is supplied by this hot gas leaving the gas turbine 104 vialine 141 and through the coil 142 of the main heat exchanger 106 andline 143 to the warmup coil 137 for the liquid hydrogen peroxide.

The steam condenses into water in the main heat exchanger 106 and warmupcoil 137 and passes with the oxygen into a water separator 145. Thiswater separator comprises a casing lined with a wicking material 146forming a central chamber 148 which receives the oxygen and water fromthe warmup coil 137. This wicking material is in contact with the insidesurface of a porous plug 149 in a sump in the bottom of the waterseparator casing and from which porous plug the water passes via a checkvalve 150 and drain line 151 into the sea. 7

the water separator 145.

OPERATION FIGS. 4-5

Preparatory to use, thechamber 109 has been filled with, say, 90 percentconcentration hydrogen'peroxide so as to move the rolling diaphragm 111to its fullyextended position in the chamber 113, this also expandingthe gaseous oxygen filled compensating bellows 116. This filling isthrough the line 122. The heating pack 100 is then connected to theapparatus being served such as the suit by the disconnects 31, 43 and indescending the shutoff valve 125 is opened to permit the liquid hydrogenperoxide 108 to flow from the chamber 109 through the supply lines 124,126, thermostatic valve 128, line 131 and its check valve 135, casing136 for the warmup coil 137 and line 138 into thecatalyst reactor 139.

ln this catalyst reactor the hydrogen peroxide breaks down into a hotgas of steam and oxygen, leaving via line 140 through the turbine 104which it activates to drive the pump 102 to recirculate water throughthe suit "10 and easing of the main heat exchanger 106. The hot steamand oxygen leaving the turbine .104 pass through the coil 142 of thismain heat exchanger to heat this recirculating heat exchange medium andthen pass via line 143 through the warmup coil 137 where thecondensation of the water is completed.

This water and the oxygen flow into the chamber 148 of the waterseparator 145 where the water absorbs into the liner 146 ofwickingthrough which it settles onto the porous plug 149. The water sochanneled through the wicking to the plug is forced through the plug dueto the pressure differential into the ambient sea..This occurs only ifthe plug 149 is completely wet. Surface. tension effects stop the flowif the inside or wicking contacted surface of the plug dries up, therebypreventing loss of oxygen The check valve 150 prevents sea water fromentering the system during descent.

The gaseous oxygen from the chamber 148 is bled out through the backpressure valve 155. This valve maintains the pressure head in 148necessary to expel the water through the porous plug 149.. a a v a g iThe temperature control preferablyoperates on an on-off basis. The mainheat exchanger 106runs at peak power until the suit 10 reaches the settemperature when the mercury bulb 129 through the capillary tube 130closes the thermostatic valve 128 to shutoff the supply ofliquid oxygento the main heat exchanger. This type of on-offcontrol assures that theturbine 104 will operateand not stall when flow is reduced to a trickleas might occur with modulating thermostat control.

The bellows 116 provides a void volume in the hydrogen peroxide chamber109 which acts to balance the effect of change in buoyancy as the tankempties. in operation,- the size of this void varies directly with theamount of liquid hydrogen peroxide left. The void acts as flotation forthe liquid hydrogen peroxide so that as the amount of liquid hydrogenperoxide decreases so does its flotation Theresult is that buoyancy doesnot change during operation. The relief valve 133 allows a small amountof hydrogen peroxide to pass to the catalyst chamber 139 during descentto balance pressures in the buoyancy compensating bellows 116a'ndbreather system.

with both forms of the invention it is to be observed that hydrogenperoxide .in its more concentrated forms is a high energy chemical. Itdoes not react directly or explosively with most substances, thepresence of many materials will cause it to decompose into water andoxygen. High temperature accelerates this decomposition. When the amountof heat produced is more than enough to vaporize all the decompositionwater, temperatures may become high enough to ignite the materialcausing the decomposition. Since an oxygen rich atmosphere prevails,such combustion is rapid. For every percent concentration there is acorresponding adiabatic decomposition temperature. A 65 percentconcentration will just vaporize all the water formed (at sea levelpressure) and not increase in temperature beyond 212 F. Ninety percenthydrogen peroxide will vaporize all the water formed and in crease thetemperature to approximately 635 C. Liquid hydrogen peroxide has neverbeen known to explode in any way with percent release of itsenergy'instantaneously.

lclaim:

1. An underwater heat generator wherein the improvement comprises meansconfining a body of hydrogen peroxide, a catalyst reactor for breakingdown such hydrogen peroxide into a hot fluid composed of oxygen andwater, a main heat exchanger, means conducting said hydrogen peroxidefrom said body through said catalyst reactor and the resulting hot fluidthrough said main heat exchanger, means conducting a heat transfermedium through said main heat exchanger in heat exchange relation withsaid hot fluid, and means conducting said heat transfer medium from saidmain heat exchanger to the apparatus being served.

2. An underwater heat generator as: set forth in claim 1 wherein saidbody of hydrogen peroxide is in excess of about 6 5 percentconcentration.

3. An underwater heat generator as set forth in claim 1 additionallyincluding thermostat means responsive to internal temperatures of saidapparatus being served for varying the rate of flow of said hydrogenperoxide to said catalyst reactor.

4. An underwater heat generator as set forth in claim 1 additionallyincluding a warmup heat exchanger and means passing the hydrogenperoxide flowing to said catalyst reactor throughsaid warmup heatexchanger in heat exchange relation with said hot fluid leaving saidmain heat exchanger.

5. An underwater heat generator as. set forth in claim 1 wherein thewater and oxygen from said warmup heat exchanger is vented to theambient water.

6. An underwater heat generator as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidmeans confining a body of hydrogen peroxide comprises an expulsion tankhaving at least one wall movable to increase and decrease the volumethereof, and means biasing said wall to decrease the size of saidexpulsion tank.

7. An underwater heat generator as. set forth in claim 1 wherein saidmeans confining a body of hydrogen peroxide comprises an expulsion tank,a piston head in said expulsion tank, a cylindrical diaphragm connectedat one end to said piston head and at its other end to a central part ofthe interior of said expulsion tank to provide a first chambercontaining said body of hydrogen peroxide and a second chamber vented tothe ambient water, and means biasing said piston to reduce the size ofsaid first chamber and to increase the size of said second chamber. g

.8. An underwater heat generator as set forth in claim 7 including abellows in said first chamber connected at one end to said expulsiontank and at its other end to said piston head and supplied with oxygento provide a void volume varying in size directly with the amount ofhydrogen peroxide left in said first chamber thereby to providesubstantially constant buoyancy of the apparatus during operation.

9. An underwater heat generator as set forth in claim 1 additionallyincluding a water separator and means conducting the oxygen and waterfrom said main heat exchanger through said water separator.

10. An underwater heat generator as set forth in claim 8 additionallyincluding means forming a chamber receiving oxygen from said waterseparator and adapted to be used for breathing purposes.

l 1. An underwater heat generator as set forth in claim 1 additionallyincluding means forming a chamber receiving oxygen from said main heatexchanger and adapted to be used for breathing purposes.

12. An underwater heat generator as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidmeans conducting a heat transfer medium through said main heat exchangerincludes a pump, a turbine motor driving said pump and conducting thesaid hot fluid generated in said catalyst reactor through said turbinemotor to energize the same.

1. An underwater heat generator wherein the improvement comprises meansconfining a body of hydrogen peroxide, a catalyst reactor for breakingdown such hydrogen peroxide into a hot fluid composed of oxygen andwater, a main heat exchanger, means conducting said hydrogen peroxidefrom said body through said catalyst reactor and the resulting hot fluidthrough said main heat exchanger, means conducting a heat transfermedium through said main heat exchanger in heat exchange relation withsaid hot fluid, and means conducting said heat transfer medium from saidmain heat exchanger to the apparatus being served.
 2. An underwater heatgenerator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body of hydrogen peroxideis in excess of about 65 percent concentration.
 3. An underwater heatgenerator as set forth in claim 1 additionally including thermostatmeans responsive to internal temperatures of said apparatus being servedfor varying the rate of flow of said hydrogen peroxide to said catalystreactor.
 4. An underwater heat generator as set forth in claim 1additionally including a warmup heat exchanger and means passing thehydrogen peroxide flowing to said catalyst reactor through said warmupheat exchanger in heat exchange relation with said hot fluid leavingsaid main heat exchanger.
 5. An undeRwater heat generator as set forthin claim 1 wherein the water and oxygen from said warmup heat exchangeris vented to the ambient water.
 6. An underwater heat generator as setforth in claim 1 wherein said means confining a body of hydrogenperoxide comprises an expulsion tank having at least one wall movable toincrease and decrease the volume thereof, and means biasing said wall todecrease the size of said expulsion tank.
 7. An underwater heatgenerator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means confining a body ofhydrogen peroxide comprises an expulsion tank, a piston head in saidexpulsion tank, a cylindrical diaphragm connected at one end to saidpiston head and at its other end to a central part of the interior ofsaid expulsion tank to provide a first chamber containing said body ofhydrogen peroxide and a second chamber vented to the ambient water, andmeans biasing said piston to reduce the size of said first chamber andto increase the size of said second chamber.
 8. An underwater heatgenerator as set forth in claim 7 including a bellows in said firstchamber connected at one end to said expulsion tank and at its other endto said piston head and supplied with oxygen to provide a void volumevarying in size directly with the amount of hydrogen peroxide left insaid first chamber thereby to provide substantially constant buoyancy ofthe apparatus during operation.
 9. An underwater heat generator as setforth in claim 1 additionally including a water separator and meansconducting the oxygen and water from said main heat exchanger throughsaid water separator.
 10. An underwater heat generator as set forth inclaim 8 additionally including means forming a chamber receiving oxygenfrom said water separator and adapted to be used for breathing purposes.11. An underwater heat generator as set forth in claim 1 additionallyincluding means forming a chamber receiving oxygen from said main heatexchanger and adapted to be used for breathing purposes.
 12. Anunderwater heat generator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said meansconducting a heat transfer medium through said main heat exchangerincludes a pump, a turbine motor driving said pump and conducting thesaid hot fluid generated in said catalyst reactor through said turbinemotor to energize the same.